How to party like a gentleman

There are holiday parties, and then there are for-the-record-books, refined yet raucous, Playboy-level holiday parties. To make it an unforgettable night at your mansion, follow our 11 rules, including expert advice from jet-setting DJ STEVE AOKI, xvorld-renowned mixologist JIM MEEHAN, iconic party photographer MARK HUNTER, soul singer JOHN LEGEND and Top Chef Master CHRIS COSENTINO.

SET THE MOOD

BRIGHT UGHTS ARE A BUZZKILL. FOR GOD'S SAKE, TURN THEM DOWN

1. DIM THE LIGHTS

-> Take a cue from every romantic res­taurant you've visited and turn down the lights. Especially in the kitchen (it's where everyone ends up anyway).

2. STRAND AND DELIVER

-» Twinkle lights aren't just for the tree. Hang them in every room. Buy white ones: You can deploy them at other parties through­out the year.

3. VOTIVE EARLY, VOTIVE OFTEN

-> Grab a pack of tea lights at Ikea (they're scent-free and only four bucks for 100) and place them throughout the house for dramatic effect.

GET THE INVITE RIGHT

'TIS THE SEASON TO USE SNAIL MAIL

—> With in-boxcs jammed with unanswered holiday e-mail invita­tions, sending out letterpress invites printed on heavy card stock will greatly improve your RSVP ratio. The handsome invitation above was designed and printed by Dauphine Press, which can work with you to create your own custom design.

LISTEN TO LEGEND

PUT THE SINGER'S FAVORITE HOLIDAY SONGS ON YOUR PLAYLIST

MERRY CHRISTMAS BABY by Elvis Presley THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY by Stevie Wonder

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE by Betty Carter and Ray Charles

LET IT SNOW! by Frank Sinatra

CHRISTMAS NIGHT IN HARLEM by Louis Armstrong

CHRISTMAS IN HARLEM

by Kanye West, CyHi da Pry nee

and Teyana Taylor

JOHN LEGEND

1 he nine tune Grammy

Award winner is putting the

finishing touches on his next

album. Ij>rr in the Future.

GET PUNCHY

SERVE A GLORIOUS FESTIVE PUNCH FROM JIM MEEHAN, MIXOLOGIST EXTRAORDINAIRE

JIM MEEHAN

Meehan is owner of PDT,,\hv York's preemi­nent speakeasy and ivinner of the 2011 lies! liar in the World award, and author of The PUT ' Cocktail Hook.

ROSY CHEEKS

-> Created specially for playboy, this punch is prepared with a number of ingredients worth talking about. Redbreast (comment away) is one of the finest Irish whiskeys. Plymouth sloe gin was traditionally sipped from flasks by English fox hunters. And the new Tempus Kugit crcme dc cacao is absolutely amazing. Everyone loves champagne, or should, and il can be served on its own for those who prefer a glass of wine: Be sure to stock extra bottles. The drink's name refers to the glow one attains after sipping a few of these, as well as to the flush that follows an arduous trek to a holiday party.

SERVES 12

• 9 oz. Redbreast 12-year-old Irish whiskey

• 6 oz. Plymouth sloe gin

• 6 oz. Tempus Fugit creme de cacao

• 6 oz. fresh lemon juice •1 bottle Moet Imperial champagne

• 12 lemon slices, for garnish

Combine first four ingre­dients and refrigerate. Right before the party, pour into a chilled punch bowl containing cubed ice or a large block of ice* and top with champagne. Serve in five-ounce punch cups garnished with lemon slices.

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LET YOUR GUESTS MIX IT UP

THE ULTIMATE SELF-SERVE BAR

For the less adventurous—which occasion­ally includes VIP attendees such as your boss or in-laws—a well-chosen highball bar is the low-maintenance way to please all tastes. It gives your guests the oppor­tunity to show their true colors when they mix their own drinks and compliment you on your choice of spirits. Set up a combina­tion of the categories below, with a bowl of lemon and lime wedges.

WHISKEY

Johnnie

Walker Black

Label

The Famous Grouse

Compass Box

VODKA

Absolut Belvedere Ketel One

GIN

Tanqueray Plymouth Hendrick's

TEQUILA

Siete Leguas El Tesoro

Jose Cuervo Tradicional

GINGER ALE

Q Ginger Fever-Tree Blenheim

MINERAL WATER

Perrier Lurisia

San Pellegrino

TONIC WATER

Q Tonic Fever-Tree Schweppes

GRAPE­FRUIT SODA

Mexican Squirt

Ting Izze

ALL HAIL HOLIDAY ALE

UNCORK A LIMITED EDITION SEASONAL BEER

-* Every year, San Francisco's Anchor Brewing creates a top-secret custom-blended Christmas ale with intense, spicy flavors and a higher alcohol content than standard ales. Track down a magnum for an impressive and celebratory presentation.

DRESS THE PART

-> You've gone to the trouble of dialing in all the details, so keep up the high standards on the sartorial front. A simple dark suit and tie, or a natty blazer and a crisp shirt, will show your best side—and show your guests the respect they deserve.

SHOOT LIKE THE COBRASNAKE

MARK HUNTER'S TIPS FOR TAKING UNFORGETTABLE PARTY PHOTOS

"Your pictures will only be as good as what you're taking a picture of.

Parties are not the time to get ambitious with composition to show everyone you're a fancy-pants artist. Nobody cares about your composition. Just find the coolest-, hottest-, weirdest-looking people you can, stand a couple of feet in front of them, and take a picture."

"The key word in 'party photographer' is 'party.'

You'll never get good photos if you look boring and ugly. If you dress wild enough, you will cre­ate a party just by walking into the room, and you can then take pictures of that party."

"Get a real camera. At good parties, things happen fast.

Your camera phone may be able to take pretty good pictures, but it won't be fast enough to capture the really hot action while it's

MARK HUNTER

Hunter, a.La. the (.'ohrasnake,

shoots the hottest parties in the

country. Cheek out his pies at

thecobrasnake. com.

happening. If you want a picture of the big fat drunk guy jiggling through the air before he lands in the pool, you're going to need a big camera with a real lens."

"Nothing is worse than a picture of a really pretty girl with a really fake smile.

I always try to sneak up on girls so they don't have time to decide what kind of face to make, or I try to make them laugh so they're really smil­ing. There are other reasons to make pretty girls laugh at parties, but if you don't know about that, you're reading the wrong magazine."

HAM IT UP

THIS HOLIDAY, GO SOUTH, YOUNG MAN

-> Of all possible holiday hams, none can top the arti-sanal, exactingly smoked Southern country-style hams that have become beloved by American chefs. If you've never had a country ham from the Deep South before, think of it as America's bold, smoky answer to prosciutto. Chris Cosentino, winner of Top Chef Masters and the chef behind Incanto in San Francisco and Pigg in I,os Angeles, says, "Country ham sliced and served like a classic prosciutto is the way to go. I like to serve it with ripe pears and toasted hazelnuts. Or a simple citrus marmalade and a great biscuit would be perfect." Benton's, Broadbent's, Colonel Bill Newsom's, Father's and S. Wallace Edwards and Sons arc among the best producers.

KILL YOUR HANGOVER

BETTER RECOVERY THROUGH CHEMISTRY

Of course, moderation is the best medicine. If you over-imbibe, the hair of the dog will only put off inevitable pain and suffering. Blowfish is a megadose of caffeine and aspirin (which usually works for us) in a convenient form.

SPINUKEAOKI

DJ-QUAL1TY ALBUMS FOR YOUR AFTERPARTY

STEVE AOKI

Aoki is a world-class DJ,

music producer and founder

of Dim Mak Records.

DAFT PUNK, ALIVE 2OO7

—> "It's the most amazing mixed album in dance music by the most influential dance artists in the world."

QUEEN, GREATEST HITS

—> They have so many hits. Who doesn't want to clink drinks and sing along to one of the greatest rock bands ever?"

JUSTICE, CROSS

—> "This album defined electro and still pumps me up. If I want to get excited about going out and hanging with friends, this album has never failed me in the past four years."

THE BLOODY BEETROOTS, ROMBORAMA

—» -Twenty songs of electro fire. Uplifting records, songs that will make you want to scream, songs that will make you want to start a mosh pit with your parents, songs that will get you dancing off your feet. One of the best albums in dance music, period."

STEVE AOKI, WONDERLAND

—> I worked day and night for three years to finish my album Wonderland. I went across the board to many different genres, working with artists such as LMFAO, Kid Cudi, Lil Jon, Rivers Cuomo, CSS, Travis Barker, Chiddy Bang, Wynter Gordon, will.i.am and others to create all different kinds of moods to get you in the mood to have the best party ever. Make your night a Wonderland night!"